And She Walked Away
by Grnigirl
Summary: The team celebrates the end of a chapter together, not realizing the changes they would soon face.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER:** _I do not own Blindspot or its characters, I just play with them for fun._

 _Hope you enjoy._

* * *

It was a night for celebration. After months of grueling work – both physically and emotionally – they'd finally brought down Sandstorm, and no one could deny it was Jane that made it possible.

She'd maintained an uneasy place within the team throughout the operation, perhaps as she always had. Despite the betrayals, they all felt a bit uneasy when they thought about it. They knew her, and knew her betrayal just couldn't have been that simple….

Nothing with Jane was ever simple.

And that discomfort made them look the other way when she returned. They ignored the reminders of what she went through, and the uncomfortable knowledge that she was there because she had to be. She was brought back into the team, but she was never fully part of it again. So they kept her at arm's length, pretending all the while that a person could handle the weight of what she carried and still escape whole. She was their accomplice in that lie, pretending she could do it… and never letting them see her pain and her loss as those things slowly crushed her.

Weller was always the closest to her. He knew she wasn't Taylor now, and it scared him that he felt the same way he had before - before all the betrayal - when he thought the connection between them was because of their history. But now he knew it was something else. Something unnamable and unmanageable, and it scared him. Kurt Weller had relied on his gut his whole life but, his mind reminded him, what his gut wanted now couldn't possibly be right.

So he'd locked it down, covered it up. He masked his feelings with anger and rudeness, professional courtesy or feigned indifference. There had been slips- they'd shared moments of kindness and raw honesty - but for the most part he'd kept his feelings hidden. He'd always assumed they could work through it when he was ready.

When he could understand it better.  
When he could control it.  
When he could find a way to think about her with both his mind and his heart and not feel like he was drowning.

So after months of work, they were all out celebrating the victory. She'd earned more than a couple drinks and a FBI-sponsored dinner with the team after all she'd done, but that's what they could offer so they tried to savor it. There were still some details to go over and loose ends to tie up, but that was for another time. Tonight was for celebrating. The smiles around the table felt real that night, the laughter was natural and the kindness authentic, not how it had been for the past few months.

But as Kurt watched Jane – he always watched Jane – he couldn't shake the feeling there was something else, something important just under the surface. He couldn't define it, couldn't even express what it was when they asked later, but he saw it and felt it that night.

But he tucked it away, burying that feeling as his mind reminding his gut that it wasn't very smart when it came to Jane.

When the food was gone and glasses empty, Weller signed the check and the team said their goodbyes. Alarm clocks would be going off in not many hours, after all. There were smiles and final congratulations shared and a couple hugs as well. Weller was last to say good night to Jane, and the team was trickling out ahead of them. He looked at her awkwardly, not sure which mask he was supposed to be wearing now, which one he should be using to hide how he felt. But his eyes spoke to her before his mouth could, making Jane smile and lean in to give him a hug. "Good night Kurt" she said softly, smiling briefly as she gently wrapped her arm around his back. He was stiff but his arms moved quickly to encircle her, awakening his whole body as he felt her against him. She slowly wrapped her other arm around his waist, pulling him slightly closer. He felt her pause as they stood there, and a quiet shiver passed through him.

When she pulled back, he expected her to be smiling and she was, but there was something else. He recognized the expression from the look he frequently saw in his mirror. It was a mask of normalcy and calm, and he saw the disconnect between the masked expression on her face and the swirl in her eyes. "Good night Jane" he said softly as he looked at her carefully, mind processing the look and trying to calculate the right words. But as he did, she paused and took one last look at him, absorbing him almost, and offered a final soft smile before walking away. He stood there, mouth open, as his mind once again told his gut not to worry, it was nothing.

After all, his brain said, _your gut never was very smart when it came to Jane._

* * *

He woke up early the next day, something in the pit of his stomach felt off but he blamed it on the oysters and cocktails. He was at the office before the team and decided to get some paperwork done. The team trickled in one by one, and he tried not to look for her, not to notice that she was running a bit late. They didn't have formal hours but she was usually one of the first in. Of course, it had been a long day – a long few months – for her, especially.

It was 9:30 when he finally gave up and decided to go look for her. He walked through the bull pen and the locker room, but didn't see her. He checked the gym and Patterson's lab, tension rising in his shoulders as he walked. He pulled out his phone for perhaps the 10th time that morning to make sure he hadn't missed her call or a message, but he found nothing. He looked around one last time, and felt a bit of cold make its way down his spine. He slowly walked back to his office, closing the door and his eyes as he leaned against it. His mind flashed to her eyes from the night before, the swirl of green and the way they seemed starkly out of place against her face and that mask of calm and normal….

He opened his eyes as he took a deep breath, once again grabbing his phone from his pocket. He called her, his pulse rising with each unanswered ring. Her voicemail picked up but he hung up instead of leaving a message. His gut told him she wouldn't hear it anyway, and this time his mind wasn't so sure that his gut was wrong.

At ten o'clock, he called her one more time, then had Patterson locate her phone.

At 10:05 he was driving to her safe house

And at 10:27, when she didn't answer her door, he let himself in and found her keys and phone lying neatly on the table, next to her FBI badge and gun.

At 10:32, after completing a sweep of the place but not finding a trace of her or anything else that was unusual, he leaned on the side of her couch, head dropping to his chest, and closed his eyes.

His time had run out. She was gone.

He felt his stomach drop and his throat start to close as if it was going to strangle him.

And for once, he listened to his gut as it said to his head " _I told you so._ "

After all, his gut reminded him, _his head never was very smart when it came to Jane_.

* * *

 _Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!_

 _Please let me know what you think, I appreciate all your thoughts, feedback and suggestions._


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Blindspot or its characters, I just play with them for fun.

 _I've just skipped ahead, ignoring all the babies and NSA complexities... moving to a slightly simpler time :)_  
 _I hope you enjoy._

* * *

 **4:30 AM**

It was dark in the safe house but the street lights and the moon allowed her to see without turning on any lights – no need to draw attention. She had dressed and packed a small bag, taking just a few mementos of this life with her.

She came downstairs and finished getting ready, before finally putting her badge and gun on the table next to the phone and keys already there. Jane paused and closed her eyes as she drew a long, slow breath in an effort to steady her nerves and calm her mind. She put her hands on the table, enjoying the sense of having something sturdy to lean on.

Roman watched her silently, seeing each movement and each breath. He could feel the stress and the sadness in his sister, and couldn't help comparing it to the last time she decided to disappear from her own life.

Last time she had been eerily calm. He remembered her trembling slightly as he held her before they said goodbye, but as the moment came, she pulled herself from Oscar's arms and moved forward with an off-putting confidence for someone that was about to do what she was doing.

Last time, she was erasing everything. But this time, Roman thought, perhaps she was saying good bye to more.

He walked slowly to her, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder as she leaned on the table, "you OK?" he asked softly. She nodded her head slowly and let out a breath before turning around to look at him, "yeah," she said sadly. Even in the dark, he could see her eyes swirling with emotion so he wrapped her gently in his arms and held her until her breathing slowed and grew even. "Thanks" she said, leaning back with a smile. "I'm glad you're here" she said softly. "Wouldn't miss it, sis" he replied with a smile. He paused, "oh, and here's your new stuff – everything you need to start a new life…" he added, still smiling. He handed her a large envelope full of documents which she briefly opened and glanced into. "Thanks" she said. He paused, waiting until she looked at him to continue, "they won't find you, I promise." She nodded sadly, "Thanks Roman."

When Jane brought down Sandstorm, her deal with Nas was complete. As promised, they'd kept the CIA away from Jane, but they'd made no promises for when the mission was done. She wasn't about to risk a trip back, and since she'd given the NSA and FBI everything they wanted, she decided to say good bye to this life and move forward into her new one. This time, at least, she knew who she was, and she was bringing her brother with her.

Jane and Roman stood quietly together for a moment before Jane took a long breath, exhaling slowly. She turned back to look at Roman, "ready?" she asked.

"Whenever you are. You're sure?" he asked gently. She nodded silently, looking down at the floor. "OK, let's go" he said.

They walked to the living room and slipped silently through a side window into the night, and into their new lives.

* * *

The team was gathered in front of a few monitors, Patterson updating them on their case. They'd started without Weller, not knowing how long he'd be gone, and without Jane. Patterson guessed the two were together anyway.

She stopped mid-sentence when she saw Kurt walk off the elevator, and the rest of the team turned around. Weller was pale, his eyes searching the room as he walked. Eventually he caught Zapata's eye, and began to walk quickly to the team. "What's going on?" asked Zapata.

"She's gone…" he said, shaking his head, "Jane – she's gone" he said, voice uneven. "What do you mean?" asked Zapata, walking to him, a concerned look on her face.

"She left her badge and her phone at the safehouse. She's gone" he added, louder than before. The group was silent for a minute, absorbing what he said. "Maybe she just …." started Reade, but Weller's look quickly silenced him.

Kurt turned to Patterson, "can you find her?" he asked, a desperate look in his eyes.

"I'll see what I can do" she added, "but if she left her phone, there's not going to be much to go on right away…" Kurt nodded and looked away not saying a word. He slowly turned around and stood silently for a moment before suddenly pulling his fist back and slamming it into the desk in front of him three times.

He didn't say a word and he didn't look back at the team, just walked quickly back to his office as they watched him go.

* * *

An hour later, Patterson and the rest of the team went to find Kurt to provide an update. They knocked on his door and waited for his response. His assistant said he was in there, but he didn't respond immediately. After a minute, Kurt yelled at the door, "yeah- come in." His voice sounded strange, and they all entered on edge.

"Hey Weller" started Patterson. She was about to tell him what she found but when she looked at him she felt compelled to ask, "are you OK?" Weller nodded his head, looking sideways to hide his eyes, "yeah, good. What do you have?" he said, dismissing her concern.

"OK, well, I know this isn't what you're going to want to hear, but we didn't find much on Jane." She looked at him sadly as he looked down, licking his lips and nodding slowly. "I don't have any visual of Jane leaving her safe house, but I may have found someone going in – single male," she added, watching Weller as his head shot up, eyes staring directly at her. "It was from a gas station down the street, but there's no way to identify him," she added.

She continued, "I can't track her phone, and with Jane there's really not much else to track except facial recognition hits or other visuals," she said softly. "What do you mean?" asked Weller sharply. "Well, she doesn't have any government ID… no birth certificate or a social security number… there's nothing for me to track unless she creates something new and we manage to find it" she said. "She had a paycard, but withdrew the balance on that a couple days ago. I'm watching for hits on online sites she's used but…" Patterson paused, looking back at Kurt with a sad glance, "if Jane wanted to disappear, I'm not going to find her this way Weller. She's a ghost."

Weller looked down, again silently nodding.

Reade jumped in, "Weller, I hate to ask this, but are we sure she _wanted_ to disappear?" he asked, tension thick in his voice. No one had to say exactly what he was thinking, they'd all considered the possibility on their own, but he said it. "Is it possible the CIA…." he couldn't even finish the sentence before tasting bile, visibly cringing as the words left his mouth. They'd been complicit in her torture months ago, and although they'd all ignored that after her return, it seemed important to ask.

Kurt was looking at Reade when he spoke, but he'd closed his eyes when he said "CIA." Weller just tried to breath, hoping somehow he'd wake up from this nightmare, or he would somehow stop imagining what Jane would be going through if the CIA had her. He took a long breath and waited. He waited for the panic to subside and the adrenaline to pass through him, or at least lessen, so he could speak again, and his hands would stop trembling.

They waited for Weller to respond, and as he sat there trying to regain his composure he heard Mayfair's voice in his head, " _Weller, what does your gut tell you?_ "

Weller considered the question and tried to find an answer based on what his gut had been telling him. He responded softly, "she disappeared on her own, she planned it," he said, eyes still closed. He looked up and stared into the eyes of his team, "we never talked about what would happen after Sandstorm… " he said, voice breaking and eyes glistening. He looked down, again shaking his head. "We never…." he said, his voice choking off at the end. "I never told her she'd be safe. I never told her I…." he stopped again, shaking his head. Weller again flashed to her eyes last night, and what his gut had told him, "last night… she knew she was going to…." he said, furrowing his brow, trying to explain exactly what he'd seen and felt, "when she said good night, she…." he stopped again, "something was off, I could feel it," he said, not knowing how to express what he'd felt. "And her safe house… she left her phone, badge and gun together on the table. Her coat was gone, and there were no signs of struggle…." Kurt laughed gently to himself, "no one would take Jane without a struggle."

The team nodded silently, waiting a moment for someone to speak. Patterson walked over to Kurt, kneeling down beside him and giving him a gentle hug. "I'm sorry," she said "we'll keep looking" she added, hoping he could hear the hope in her voice. "Thanks Patterson" he said, voice hoarse.

As she leaned back, she saw the bundle of paper he held in his hands, "what is that?" she asked. Weller looked down, eyes glistening. He responded in a whisper, "her paperwork" he said, "birth certificate, passport…. It was all official. I was going to give this to her this morning, but I wanted her to have a say in her new name…." he said, choking up at the end. "I never told her, but of course we were going to protect her" he said, looking down.

Weller shook his head, then stood up abruptly, taking a deep breath and looking at the team. There was something else his gut had told him, "the guy going in," he said "probably Roman." His voice was stronger now, "Jane's loyal - she saved him from Sandstorm, she's not going to leave him now. Look for him too" he said, angrily shaking his head.

He was starting to pace, "Zapata," he said, pausing to look at her intently, "we need to… the CIA is going to be looking for her… " he said, voice cracking. "We need to kill Jane Doe and her brother and bury them with Sandstorm. The CIA and anyone else looking for her has to believe she's dead. Can you do that?" he asked. "On it, boss" she said, eyes fixing on his. "No one outside this room needs to know" Weller said. "Understood" Zapata answered, dipping her head but not breaking eye contact.

"OK" he said, softly. "Let me know if you find anything" he finished. His team saw the look in his eyes and heard the loss in his voice, and they all immediately went back to their desks to get to work.

* * *

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!

Please let me know what you think, I appreciate all your thoughts, feedback and suggestions.


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Blindspot or its characters, I just play with them for fun.

Hope you enjoy this silly little fic.

In the coming weeks and months, the team continued their search for Jane. Patterson led the forensic side of things, and Reade and Zapata followed the other tips. But no one was surprised when they turned up cold; it was Jane after all.

Weller looked for her too, in his own way.  
He looked in glass after glass of scotch  
He looked in the sheets of beautiful women who meant nothing to him  
And he looked for her in the memories he shared at her eulogy, his obvious sincerity shocking both FBI and CIA agents in attendance.

But he never found her, and he never found a way to forgive himself - forgive himself for the time wasted and the words left unsaid.

* * *

Over time, things at the office got back to a sort of normal. There were moments still, but not every task or mission reminded them of Jane's absence, or of their loss.

It didn't hurt that they were making some surprising progress on cases.

Kurt walked into Patterson's lab when he heard her yell, "no way!"

Kurt smiled curiously as he walked in, "Patterson?" he asked, wondering what was going on.

She turned, startled , "Weller, you're not going to believe this – that IT project we've been requesting _forever-_ the system that connects data on missing and exploited children globally – they approved it!" her eyes were sparkling as she said it – "that's amazing…" she said shaking her head. Then she furrowed her brow, looking more closely at her computer screen, "wow, that's weird…" she said.

Weller stood next to her, looking over her shoulder as she continued. "They received funding from three foreign governments and an anonymous donor to make this happen – wow!" she said.

Weller looked at the email as well, "finally came to their senses, huh? If it's as good as you've been saying, it'll make big difference to those kids" he said.

"It will" said Patterson with a huge smile on her face.

She smiled at him, changing topics, "you were probably looking for an update on the case, weren't you…" Patterson smiled and turned back to her screens, walking him through what she'd found.

* * *

Two weeks later, the team received a tip that came through a foreign embassy – and not one that had been friendly to the FBI in the past. The tip led them to uncover a major smuggling ring that was also trafficking children into the US.

Kurt was sitting in a coffee shop, having just returned from the field with Zapata and Reade. He was drinking a hot beverage and trying to bring himself back to life after a long night, when something caught his eye. There wasn't anything out of the ordinary per say, but he found himself watching a blonde man at the counter. There was something about the way he moved, or his mannerisms perhaps, that caught Weller's eye.

He watched while the man quietly waited for his order, not doing anything unusual or out of place. Weller was just about to look away when the man walked up to the counter to grab his drinks – two coffees, thanking the barista quietly. As he turned, he seemed to hide his face slightly. Then, as he walked toward the door he casually looked over at Weller, holding his stare briefly. It was just a moment, but it made the hair on Weller's neck stand up, and a cold shiver ran through him. Before he could even process what was happening, the blonde man tucked his head into his hood, a faint smile crossing his face, and walked out to the street.

It took Weller a moment to react, but he stood quickly, following the other man out. He wasn't far behind, but when he got to the street the man was gone.

His brain was telling him _it was nothing, just someone getting coffee. You're at a coffee shop, after all._

But his gut spoke up, reminding his head that _it never was very smart when it came to Jane_.

 _Wait, what?_ _Did you say_ _Jane?_ His brain thought.

His gut just rolled on itself, not bothering to answer directly.

* * *

Things at the FBI kept moving forward. Weller never told anyone about the coffee shop; he wasn't even sure what he'd say if he did – it's not easy to explain a gut feel that makes no logical sense. He didn't know why, but Weller had a feeling it related to Jane, although he had no evidence of that.

As he was thinking about it, about her, he received a call. It was from the Director of the Department of Homeland Security, and he was livid. He accused the FBI of overstepping their jurisdiction, and not including ICE like they should have. Weller tried interrupting, but after two tries, he simply let the Director vent. It became clear he was angry about all the success the FBI had been having in its child trafficking cases. Weller listened for fifteen minutes, his mind wandering. He was right after all, they were having a remarkable string of cases, but it was just dumb luck. Weller thought to himself, _I can't help it if we get tips, or funding for special initiatives we've requested – sometimes it just works that way! And what kind of jerk would be mad that the FBI was solving too many child trafficking cases?_

He finished the call, promising to include DHS and ICE whenever appropriate, and assured him they weren't trying to overstep. The Director seemed pleased, and congratulated Weller on all their recent success.

Weller once again felt a slight chill run through him.

* * *

The team continued to work their cases, their morale at an all-time high, given their recent string of success. They were receiving cooperation from foreign governments and global children's organizations, and were receiving tips that unlocked huge cases. None of them could explain it.

It was at their team meeting, after a review of their recent cases, that Zapata interjected, "we haven't had this many big cases since Jane Doe showed up in Time Square!" she said laughing. The whole team chuckled, nodding in agreement. Everyone except Weller, that is.

Weller's stomach dropped as soon as she said it. He turned around, startled, and looked at Zapata, his mouth open. "Jesus…" he said, as he slowly grew pale. He looked down, leaning on the desk and shaking his head. Weller closed his eyes and huffed a couple times. Then he started to chuckle to himself, still shaking his head.

The whole team watched him, waiting for him to explain what was going on. Zapata paused until she couldn't wait any longer, "what'd I say?" she asked.

Weller's face was flushed now, and he just looked around at the team incredulously before replying. "You just said it – we haven't had this many big breaks since the Sandstorm tattoos…" he said, looking around the room. Seeing no signs of understanding he continued, "since Sandstorm gave us all those clues …." he said, growing louder.

The team looked at each other in confusion. Reade responded, "Weller, Sandstorm is done, we brought that whole organization down months ago…."

Weller waited, a slow smile crossing his face. "Except two people…" he said, the smile widening.

Reade's eyes widened, nodding his head as well "Jane and Roman," he said.

Zapata replied "Jane and Roman… oh my god, do you think they're behind this?" she asked.

For the first time in months – since the night they celebrated with Jane, in fact – a real smile crossed Weller's face, and a sparkle returned to his eyes.

Weller just shook his head for a minute, still chuckling.

His voice was soft when he responded. "Zapata, Jane's been saving people since she came to us. She's saved each of us in the field more than once. She saved herself… broke out of the CIA on her own …" he choked as he said the last part, and paused before continuing. "She saved her brother. She saved the entire US government… and she left us to save her damn self again," he said, voice growing softer. He waited for that to sink in as the team all looked down, acknowledging what he had just said.

"What do you think she's going to do next?" he asked. "When we brought down Sandstorm, we brought down the infrastructure and the people involved. But the secrets…. They were always still out there. The tattoo cases, and the other things they may have known…." he said, shaking his head. "Roman would have known them."

"And he could have had relationships with some of these governments" Zapata added.

Reade chimed in, "or Jane could have built them."

"And what would Jane do in her next life – who would she save?" Weller asked, voice strong, but eyes glistening.

"Children" said Zapata quietly.

"Vulnerable kids, kids who went through what she and Roman went through" added Patterson, realization in her eyes.

Zapata added quietly, "or kids who are going through it right now."

Reade added, "and it's possible they still had access to resources, I mean it's possible we didn't find all of Sandstorm's funding…"

They all sat there in silence, looking at one another, smiles crossing all of their faces.

Zapata was the first to speak. "I'm sure glad she's on our side."

Weller paused, a hurt look crossing his face. "She's not" he said quietly, licking his lips and looking sideways. He paused, before looking back at the team, voice hoarse, "she's on her own side now."

* * *

 _Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it (or something… is it appropriate to say enjoy?)!_

 _Please let me know what you think, I appreciate all your thoughts, feedback and suggestions._


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER:** _I do not own Blindspot or its characters, I just play with them for fun._

 _Hope you enjoy!_

* * *

The team got back to work with renewed energy and sense of purpose.

They were tracking leads, connecting players, and – most importantly – saving kids. But one case in particular was giving them trouble. They had a great lead, but kept hitting dead end after dead end. They were almost ready to give up when Patterson found something.

Weller and Zapata were in her lab, listening to the update.

"Ok, so… we're still waiting for a translation on that document you tracked, Zapata. It's written in a local dialect, and we're still trying to find a translator. However, we've had two recent cases that trace back to the same region; one case was ours, the other was an ICE case. Both arrests were in the US, but are linked to organizations from the same area as our case" she said, turning around, and sharing a pointed look with Zapata.

"Sounds too coincidental, doesn't it?" Zapata asked.

"I thought so too" she said, "so I did a little more digging on those cases. It turns out that they both have something in common - a non-profit, located here in New York" she said smiling.

Weller was already walking out the door, "good work. Send us coordinates, Patterson." He turned to glance back at Zapata "Zapata, with me" he said, not slowing down at all.

* * *

They arrived in the lobby of the International Children's Charities 40 minutes later. Kurt noticed it was just a few blocks from the coffee shop he'd visited a few weeks ago. They didn't have an appointment, but Kurt knew saying the Assistant Director of the FBI NYO had a way of opening doors even without appointments, so he'd taken a chance.

As soon as they walked in, Kurt felt something. He slowly looked around, uncertain what he was sensing, as his pulse increased slightly and breathing grew slightly shallower as he did.

Zapata turned to him, "what?" she asked in a whisper.

Weller didn't respond, just gently shook his head as he continued to survey the room while Zapata watched him.

* * *

A very nervous Director of Communication, Tim Burrows, came to meet them. "Good morning Assistant Director Weller, Agent Zapata" he said, introducing himself, "please, why don't you join me in our conference room."

As they sat down, Weller thanked him for seeing them on such short notice. He explained what he could about the case they were pursuing, and told him they kept hitting dead ends, but were hoping the charity could provide some assistance. He mentioned the tie to the other recent cases – noting how helpful the charity had been in those cases- and asked if there was anything they could do to help. Weller finished by telling the man that they believed there were a series of orphanages involved. He didn't offer any details, but he saw the other man's eyes soften, a look of sadness on his face as soon as he mentioned it.

Tim Burrows paused before responding, the quiet in the room deafening to Zapata as she waited for a response. He looked at each of them, then nodded his head.

"Of course," he said softly. "I'll review this with our principal as soon as possible and get back to you. Do you have a business card?" he asked.

Weller wasn't known for his patience, so he asked "Can we speak with him now instead?"

Mr. Burrows chuckled gently, "I'm sorry, she's on a call right now, and I _never_ interrupt her calls" he said smiling. He leaned in toward Zapata and said, in a quieter voice, "she's the closer around here – she's made more deals and progress in the last six months than…." He cut himself off, abruptly standing up, "well, anyway. I'm sure she'll be happy to help if she can; I'll call you when I've had a chance to discuss it with her."

He smiled and both Weller and Zapata thanked him for his help and gave him their cards. They began walking to the door when Burrows turned to them, "would you be willing to leave a copy of that document? She may be able to help with the translation" he added over his shoulder as they walked.

A chill rippled down Weller's spine.

They were walking back to the lobby when they saw a large maintenance crew working in the hallway ahead of them.

"I'm so sorry, I'll have to take you this way instead" Burrows said, looking a bit embarrassed.

"No problem" said Zapata, "thanks again for all your help" she added with a smile.

Burrows led them through a secure door, into another section of the office. It was beautiful space, with a few luxurious offices, most of them with floor to ceiling glass overlooking the city. Weller looked to the side as they were walking, noticing a woman in one of the offices. She had black, shoulder length hair and was talking on the phone, pacing as she spoke. Weller stopped where he was, leaning forward slightly his eyes wide open now.

He felt his stomach roll, and his pulse start to rise as he looked at her, an emotion that was a strange cross of panic and relief pass over him like a breeze. _It couldn't be…_ he thought to himself.

Mr. Burrows realized he'd lost Weller, so he turned around and called to him, "Agent Weller?"

Weller didn't move, and didn't take his eyes off her. "Who is that?" he asked, voice raspy.

Mr. Burrows' expression shifted, his discomfort and anxiety obvious, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought you through here…" he said

"Who is that?" Weller asked again, louder this time, not moving his eyes from her.

Mr. Burrows tried to get them moving, "that's our Principal, I'm sorry, she's still on the phone, but I'll make sure to get this to her as soon as possible. Now, if you'll please come this way-"

But Kurt Weller wasn't listening; he was staring at the woman on the phone, completely focused on her. She seemed to be getting more animated as she spoke and began to gesture with her hands. Her back was still to them, but as she gestured, Kurt saw something. Something on her hand.

He began walking towards her, slowly at first, but faster as her hand became clearer. It was a honeycomb, and he'd never mistake that tattoo.

Zapata turned to him, wondering what was happening, "Weller?" she asked.

Just as Weller was approaching the office, another man stepped in front of him, blocking his path and stopping Weller dead in his tracks. "I'm sorry, she can't be interrupted right now," he said, voice cuttingly strong, "you need to leave this area." Weller didn't miss the intensity in his stare, and noticed the man didn't blink as he looked at him.

"I need to-" Weller started to say before the man interrupted

"You need to leave now, sir" he said, even firmer this time, as he moved closer to Weller, already well within his personal space.

Weller looked at the man, trying to judge how committed he was to making him leave. Weller spent his career assessing people, and he could tell this man was committed; unfortunately he also looked like he could handle himself, so Weller just stood there and continued to look at the man.

There was something about him, something familiar, but he couldn't place it. He stared for just a moment longer until a chill ran through him again. It was the man from the coffee shop.

"I've seen you before…" Weller said, looking carefully at the other man.

Roman looked at him, but offered no reaction on his face as he leaned in closer "you need to leave, you're not welcome here" he said, voice low, his eyes giving a final warning as his body tensed and hand flexed into a fist.

Weller looked over his shoulder one last time to see the woman had turned around and was now looking at him, the surprise evident on her face. There was no mistaking her.

"Jane" he said, his voice a whisper as the blood drained from his head, leaving him slightly dizzy. She was looking at him now with those green eyes he would never forget, the ones that haunted him every time he closed his eyes.

She looked down as Kurt watched her, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.

Roman turned around to look at her, already knowing she had seen them. Jane looked up and looked at him, slowly nodding, then motioning for Kurt to come in.

Kurt was momentarily frozen, his feet refusing to move despite his mind screaming at him to get in there. He stood, just looking at her in disbelief.

It was Roman that brought him back to reality. He leaned in, only an inch or so from Weller's face. His eyes were practically burning into Weller's face, and he said, voice low and tense, "if you hurt her in any way, or do anything that compromises her safety, please know that I will find you, and I will make you pay."

Weller stepped back and looked again at the man, realization flooding him, "Roman" he said, his stomach dropping.

Roman didn't say anything, just slowly stepped to the side, allowing Weller to pass but not relaxing a single muscle in his body, and not taking his eyes off him.

Weller walked slowly to Jane's office, mouth slightly open, watching her like he could somehow absorb her. It was as if he thought she'd disappear again if he looked away. He opened the door to her office as she sat down on the desk behind her, avoiding his stare for just a minute. He was standing just a few feet inside, uncertain what to do next.

"Jane" he simply said. Somehow, with just one word his voice was begging and promising something at the same time.

She looked up at him, her green eyes swirling, "hi Kurt" she replied quietly.

That was all it took, two words from her, and he was striding toward her, smile broadening across his face. As he approached her, his eyes began to glisten and without a word he wrapped her in a giant embrace, pulling her close to him. He said only one word, over and over, as he held her for the next few minutes, emotions completely overwhelming his senses.

" _Jane_."

She was stiff at first, but slowly she felt her body relax into the hug, melting into him, then felt her arms gently wrap around him as well. She closed her eyes, enjoying his scent as it surrounded her and the feel of his warmth and his heart beating against her. For a minute, she allowed her walls to drop- the walls that kept her safe, and the walls that kept her from breaking again – that kept her from getting too attached to anything or anyone.

As Kurt held her he felt a flood of emotions wash over him. He held her and felt her relax against him finally. He couldn't even speak words other than her name, he was just too overwhelmed. After all these months of grief and regret and worry she was finally there – safe and in his arms. She felt soft and, most importantly, she was safe. And she was in his arms, right where she belonged. He wished she would never leave.

As he held her, he felt her slightly stiffen again, and begin to step back.

Jane was overwhelmed by Weller and this hug, not understanding what was happening or why. She didn't understand Weller's reaction, or for that matter, her own. She couldn't explain the emotions she was feeling, and felt like she was losing control, which she definitely didn't like. She tried to step back as she quickly built back the walls she'd built so many months ago, the walls that kept her safe and protected, that kept emotions like these mostly locked away.

When they finally broke away from each other, she broke his heart with only 11 words.

"Why are you here, Kurt?" she asked, her eyes filling with sadness as she spoke, her body growing more tense as she took another step back, "what do you need from me?"

* * *

 _Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!_

 _I apologize, I know this wasn't the happiest or most satisfying chapter. I hope to do one more where they can resolve things a bit more._

 _What do you think - should Jane or Roman beat the crap out of Weller? Just kidding. :)_

 _Please let me know what you think, I appreciate all your thoughts, feedback and suggestions._


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCLAIMER:** _I do not own Blindspot or its characters; I just enjoy playing with them for fun._

 _My favorite trio is back in this chapter - hope you enjoy!_

* * *

 **Zapata**

Zapata was trying to keep an eye on Weller. Something had been off since they walked in the door, but he wouldn't say what it was. She could see he was on alert from the moment he walked in; his stance was all off for a routine visit to a non-profit. But Zapata knew better than to question Weller when he had a feel for something, and it put her on edge as well.

When they were walking out, Zapata enjoyed walking through the secure part of the building – she didn't get to see art – or views- like that in the FBI offices. She hadn't even noticed when Weller dropped behind until Burrows called for him. Weller didn't disappear for no reason- not ever- and when she realized he wasn't behind them anymore Zapata had subconsciously placed her hand on her sidearm.

After he asked about the woman, Zapata watched as Weller walked through the hallways, obviously going somewhere, though Zapata couldn't guess where that was. She couldn't see the woman he was asking about, and wondered what was going on. As she watched him, Burrows urgently reminded her again that they needed to leave, that they weren't permitted in this part of the office. Zapata gave him her best glare, letting him know there was no way she was leaving without Weller. He quickly backed away when he saw her hand on her weapon.

Zapata watched as Weller sped up, then suddenly came face to face with another man. She could judge, even from a distance, that the man was twisted up tight. He stood in front of Weller without flinching – even getting in his face. It made Weller step back, but then something happened. Zapata couldn't see what he was looking at, but it looked like Weller almost went limp from the chest up, he was slouching while this guy was right in his face. _What was going on?_ Zapata thought to herself.

They stood there another minute, the other man saying something to Weller, right up in his face, before slowly stepping aside. She watched as Weller turned down a hallway, out of her sight, without looking back or drawing his weapon. Zapata turned to look at the other man, now standing in the hallway staring after Weller. This man was tense, it looked like every muscle he had was ready to spring into fight. After a moment, he suddenly turned to her, glaring, and started to walk their direction.

Tim Burrows had already started backing away, but Zapata stood there, waiting for Weller. The man approached, stopping just inches in front of her. "You need to leave this part of the building" he said, muscles still tense. There was something about the way the man moved that caught Zapata's eye, although she couldn't put a finger on why, it seemed almost familiar to her.

"I'm just waiting for my partner" she added, smiling at the man, trying to relax the situation. His face was slightly flushed and she could feel the tension coursing through him. He smiled back, although the look in his eyes didn't change one bit. "Please, let me make you comfortable. Agent Weller will only be a few minutes, but unfortunately due to the sensitive nature of our business we can't have people in this part of our building, you understand" he said smiling at her. "Please, this way" he said, fully blocking her view of the hallway, and taking another step closer to her while pointing with his arm down the hall to the door.

Zapata took another look, knowing she had neither a warrant or just cause to stay where she was. She smiled again, "of course" she said, turning to walk down the hall. She sure hoped Weller wasn't going to be long.

* * *

 **Weller**

Weller just looked at Jane after her questions, his mouth dropping open slightly as he leaned in to stare at her.

" _Why are you here" and "what do you need from me?"_ he thought – after over six months, those are the questions she'd just asked him. _She thinks I'm here to get something from her, to collect some sort of debt?_ he wondered, feeling baffled.

Weller just stood looking at her for a moment. He squinted his eyes at her, as if that would help him better see what she was really saying.

"Jane, I'm not here to…. Are you OK?" he choked. As he said it, he realized it was the only thing that mattered to him.

She looked down, "yeah" she said quietly, noncommittally.

He watched Jane subtly back away from him and cross her arms in front of herself. She looked up, meeting his gaze, and he felt the flood of emotions he'd been keeping locked up free themselves– pain, loss, panic, despair, that sense of failure and…something else… something that warmed him" knowing they all traced back to Jane.

He watched her as his emotions melted through his body. And she watched him, enjoying the show of colors passing through his eyes, her memories of him seeping out against her will from the closed off place she'd been storing them.

She shook her head, almost imperceptibly but he saw it, and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath in and trying to close the emotions out. She opened them again and looked to him. She stood straight and squared her shoulders. "I gave you everything you needed, I did my part of the deal with Sandstorm" she said, urgency in her voice. "I deserve my freedom – I earned it" she said adamantly.

Kurt's mouth dropped open slightly as his mouth went dry as the moisture seemed to shift to his eyes, now glistening slightly.

"Jane-" he said, stepping towards her.

She took another step back but maintained her posture, "I'm not going to be part of some trade back to the CIA" she said, starting to panic now.

"Jane!" he said, louder now, bringing her attention back to his eyes. He was shaking his head at her, not even sure how to respond. "I would never do that," he said. Weller paused, a small smile forming on his lips as he looked at her, "besides, the CIA isn't looking for you" he said sheepishly.

"What?" she asked.

He smiled gently, "I'm sorry to be the one to tell you ma'am, but Jane Doe and her brother Roman were killed the night we brought down sandstorm." He looked at her, smiling at her confused look as he continued, "it was a terrible explosion, by the way," he said. "In fact, there was almost nothing left to find… but Zapata and Patterson were able to confirm the terrible news" he said, arching his eyebrows at her. "The FBI lost its most important asset that night" he said softly.

She hadn't realized it, but he had slowly moved toward her as he spoke, and now reached out to touch her arm. _Just say it,_ he thought to himself, "and I lost the woman…" he started, choking a bit as his voice cracked, "…and I thought I lost you, Jane" he said, tears forming in his eyes.

It was taking every bit of restraint he had not to kiss her at that moment, not to cover her with his lips and wrap her in his arms and press her against him, but he knew as he watched her he had a long way to go before any of that was going to be possible.

She turned away from him, confused, and suddenly feeling the need to collect herself. "So, if you weren't looking for me, why are you here?" she asked.

He quickly walked around her to meet her eyes again. "Jane, we were looking for you…." he said, eyes burning into hers, "but we didn't know you were here," he said, a small smile crossing his face as he looked at her, "you're not easy to find," he said.

Jane smirked knowingly, not responding.

He took a step toward her, leaning in as he did, "you didn't have to disappear" he said, almost a whisper. "Why didn't you say anything to me?" he asked.

"What would that have done?" she asked, voice soft, and eyes diverted over his shoulder. "I knew my role, I knew where I stood, what I was to all of you," she said sadly, looking down "you needed me to bring down Sandstorm, and – just like Oscar said– I was cog in the machine, welcome while useful, disposable when not" she said, voice flat, and void of emotion. She looked back up at him, "so I just saved you the trouble, disappeared on my own," she said simply.

Kurt felt an overwhelming sense of sadness, and of opportunity lost, pass over him. _She'd uttered those words so simply, just stating what she thought was obvious,_ he thought to himself.

"Jane… " he started, shaking his head. He looked down and took a deep breath, then looked up at her. His blue eyes were blazing, "I can't believe we made you feel that way" he said, voice catching in his throat. "You're not disposable to us, Jane" he said. He felt a new emotion emerge now– shame. _How could he have been such a jerk?_

He watched her as she slowly took a step back, confusion evident on her face, and quickly glanced toward the hallway. Weller felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up- she was thinking about disappearing again, he could feel it in his gut.

Just as he was about to speak, Roman opened the door, eyes surveying the two of them intently as he stepped inside. "Hey" he said, looking at Jane, "it's time for your call." He paused, looking at her, waiting for guidance, as he once again looked over at Weller and back to Jane.

"OK, thanks" she said quietly, nodding her head.

Roman waited for her to give a sign of what she wanted, but he'd never seen the look on his sister's face and didn't know how to read it. "I can walk Director Weller out if you'd like, Agent Zapata's in the lobby waiting for him," he added, still trying to read the situation.

"Thanks" she said quietly, looking up at him.

Jane turned, to look once again at Kurt. His face was pale but his eyes still had the same intensity as he looked at her. "I have to go," she said.

He looked at her, nodding, a sense of defeat heavy in his throat as he tried to speak. He knew he couldn't push her- this was going to take some time to fix- but he knew he'd do whatever it took to make things right. To get her back.

"How 'bout lunch, tomorrow?" he asked, the words somehow escaping his closing throat. "I'll bring it here if you'd like."

Jane looked at him, then glanced back at the hallway, "um, tomorrow's not good" she said.

"OK, what about Friday?" he asked quickly, taking a small step towards her. He didn't want to push, but he also wasn't going to give up.

She paused and looked at him one more time. "Ok" she said quietly with a small smile.

He smiled, and the color seemed to return to his face as he did. "OK" he said. He slowly walked toward the door, but couldn't help pausing in front of her, touching her arm gently. He let his hand sit on her arm for just a second, before dropping it and starting to walk away.

He was most of the way to the door when suddenly, he stopped. Without turning around, he said softly, "Jane, you asked me what I needed from you." He turned around, looking at her again. "I hope you believe me… I don't need anything from you. I just need you" he said. He paused before adding, "please, don't leave again" he asked, eyes pleading.

"I'll see you Friday" she said, the mask back on her face.

It was then that Roman stepped between them, gently gesturing toward the door and signaling for Kurt to move. Kurt turned and walked out, glancing back at Jane as he turned down the hall toward the lobby, Roman directly behind him, eyes trained on Weller.

* * *

Weller was lost in his own thoughts as he walked. He was just trying to process what had just happened, and trying to make sense of the emotional stew he had swishing through his mind. He couldn't believe that he'd found Jane. _Jane!_ he thought to himself, shaking his head involuntarily as a small smile crossed his face.

He realized he should say something to the man behind him, so he started to turn.

"Roman," he started to say.

That was all it took. It was the proverbial "straw that broke the camel's back." Weller didn't even know what was happening until he was slammed against the wall, Roman's elbow pressed into his throat and his arm somehow pinned behind him.

"Don't ever say that name again" he yelled, glaring at Weller.

Although Jane was half Weller's size, she still beat him most of the time when they sparred at the bureau. She was faster and better trained, but when he won it was because of his size advantage (or just luck, although he'd never admit that to her).

Weller knew Roman was at least as well trained as Jane, but didn't have the same size disadvantage. And it was clear that Roman had no concerns about hurting Weller if it came to it…

"Sorry," Weller said, trying to diffuse the situation.

Roman dropped his elbow and freed Weller's arm with a glare and took a step back. He started to turn towards the door but stopped himself, turning his head to look at Weller, then looking away, jaw tense, glaring ahead of him.

"She's been through enough," he said, anger shaking his voice slightly.

He clenched his jaw again, clearly holding back what he wanted to say.

Weller watched him, briefly. "I know" he said, his tone of his voice expressing all that he was feeling. "I know," he said again, more urgently this time.

Roman looked back at him, frustration evident on his face.

He didn't say a word, just gestured toward the door, and Weller nodded, walking once again in that direction. When they approached it Roman said curtly, "Agent Zapata is waiting for you in the lobby, I assume you can both find your way out?"

Weller didn't respond, but just looked at the man and nodded once.

"Good" Roman said.

Roman watched as Weller walked through the door. His hands were clenched and arms crossed over his chest. As the door closed, he let out a breath and closed his eyes before turning around to go find his sister.

* * *

 _Thanks for reading – I hope you didn't fall asleep reading this (or if you did, congratulations and good morning, I guess)._

 _Hope you enjoyed this chapter- please let me know your thoughts. Is the story going OK?_


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